Nothing I Have Ever Seen
by Alohomora3
Summary: This is for those of you who don't like fluffy D/G stories- this is a more believable and realistic idea of how it might happen. It takes time to get into it, but bear with me! Enjoy.
1. Pure Wizard

Nothing I Have Ever Seen  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The torches mounted on the stone wall dimly lit the narrow corridor. An elongated shadow appeared at the far end as a boy turned to corner and strode past towards the door, his black cloak flying out behind him. He reached the black iron door with its silver studs and barged through without breaking his stride. He stopped inside the door as it slammed shut behind him. The students in the Slytherin common room looked up. Draco acknowledged their attentions and smirked, then sauntered over to his usual place in the seventeenth century armchair in front of the fire. He felt the other students' eyes on him as he crossed the room. This is the way it should be, he thought, a wizard with such a pure and powerful family as his had a right to as much respect and awe. He enjoyed watching the younger witches and wizards visibly shrink away from him as he passed. The power he had.  
  
Draco Malfoy sank into his chair- left vacated as always- and saw that the two seats opposite, usually taken by Crabbe and Goyle, were empty. Good. Now was not the time to deal with those two simpletons.  
  
He threw his books and a role of parchment onto the mahogany table separating him from the two chairs opposite, pulled out his quill and prepared to write. A potions essay for Snape. This would be simple. It seemed that whatever Draco wrote earned him top marks and multiple house points. But this evening… there was something else on Draco's mind. But what that thing was, Draco didn't know. He frowned as he turned his gaze to the fire, bewitched green, and giving the common room its distinct eerie feel. He tore his eyes away and observed the others in the room. He saw Marcus Flint, captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team with the rest of the players huddled in a corner, no doubt discussing the coming match against Hufflepuff. Draco smiled to himself. That was one game he needed no help with. He could deal with their seeker blindfolded. Nearby, Pansy Parkinson was whispering excitedly to some other Slytherin girls. Equally as hideous, he thought sneering. Pansy looked up and caught his eye, pouted in a way that only seemed to accentuate her pug nose, and waved daintily at him. Draco, expressionless looked away.  
  
He thought of his father's parting comments to him as Draco boarded the Hogwarts Express that September.  
  
Draco, it's more important than ever that you carry on living up to your name this year. The Yule Ball is approaching and I want you to be seen attending with a suitable guest. You're going with Parkinson's daughter. It is already arranged.  
  
Already arranged. His father had no right to order him around, define his life. Parkinson's daughter! He had no intention in the least to be seen with that simpering… However pure her bloodline was, she was the last person Draco would turn attention to.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted, and a figure had appeared before him. Pansy had left her pathetic friends and come over. She looked up at him from her position perched on the end of the footstool.  
  
"Hello, Draco," she began in a husky voice.  
  
He did not reply.  
  
"It's the Yule Ball on next Friday Draco. Are you looking forward to it?"  
  
As if.  
  
"I am. All my friends are so jealous I'm going with you. But some have it and some don't I suppose…" She giggled girlishly- annoyingly- and touched her hair coquettishly.  
  
Yeah. Some have it. You don't.  
  
"Anyway, I'll not disturb you any longer! I'm sure you want to get on with your work." Her gaze lingered on him before practically skipping back to her friends.  
  
That was another trouble on his mind, adding to… whatever it was bothering him at the moment. He couldn't put his finger on it, which annoyed him even more.  
  
Staring back at the empty parchment on the table in front of him, he sighed, dipped his quill in the ink and began to write.  
  
*  
  
Draco's mood had not improved since the previous evening as he sat down for breakfast in the Great Hall. To his immense annoyance, Pansy had placed herself directly opposite his normal place at the table and looked at him expectantly as he ignored her and waited for Goyle to butter his toast.  
  
"Draco, I must tell you something," Pansy paused for somewhat dramatic effect. She carried on, regardless of his lack of response. "Marcus Flint just asked me to the Yule Ball. Of course I told him I was going with you…" She looked at him in anticipation.  
  
Waiting for his response obviously. Well, she wouldn't be getting one. He highly doubted that anyone would be foolish enough to ask for her company. She obviously wanted his attention. For him to say, No Pansy, don't go with him, I want to go with you. On the other hand, if it were true, what did Flint think he was doing, trying to take something that was rightfully his? The thought enraged Draco… but it would rid him of his dilemma…  
  
He raised his eyes to her finally and said cooly, "So be it. Let Flint take you. I don't care."  
  
Pansy's expectant smile faltered. "What?"  
  
Draco shrugged, almost imperceptibly.  
  
"Fine. I'll go and tell him then, shall I?" she said stiffly.  
  
Draco dropped her disappointed eye contact and looked past her left shoulder to the Gryffindor table, then immediately wished he hadn't. He wrinkled his nose and sneered almost instinctively at the chattering crowd. From across the room he could see that Potter and Weasley were deep in conversation, no doubt about plans to break the rules yet again. The teachers seemed oblivious to them, as if they were special exceptions to rules. If anyone deserved special attention and to be exempt from the school policies, it was him, Draco. He and his family had more power than the whole school put together. His heart beat faster as his loathing for Potter rose again in his chest. He looked further along the table. A small girl, chattering animatedly with her friends caught his attention. And no wonder, he thought, with that vivid red hair encircling her face. Another Weasley. Another product of the family who wasted their pure bloodline. It was almost as if they were Muggles, the way they behaved. It was a disgrace to their heritage. Almost as if she felt herself being watched, Ginny's gaze fell across the Slytherin table- right onto Draco. She stopped talking abruptly and opened her mouth slightly, a confused expression crossed her elf-like face. Draco scowled at her and she raised her eyebrows and looked away, back to her friends. The nerve of her. Didn't she know how annoying she was? 


	2. The Blank Slate

Chapter 2  
  
Leaving Transfiguration later that day, Draco's mood had worsened. He realised that however well he was doing at school, it wasn't enough to make him enjoy it. He resented Dumbledore- resented his place at the head of Hogwarts. Why couldn't he be more like Karkaroff, then he could be learning more useful things that would actually help him in life. Of course, the things that would help in his particular life ahead of him would most certainly be frowned on by Dumbledore. He wouldn't like it if his precious students were taught ways of achieving ambition, and getting exactly what they want from life instead of living the mediocre life of wizards too afraid to reach for what they want. That was one thing Draco was sure of- if there was something he wanted, he would certainly get it. Whatever the cost.  
  
Thank God it was Friday anyway. Two days away from the Muggle loving fools, commonly known as Hogwarts teachers. Well, apart from Snape. He was very different from the others, one fortunate enough to be referred to by his father as a friend. Friends of Lucius Malfoy were few and far between. Like Draco's own... He looked around the corridor as he and his classmates made their way to the Slytherin common room. There wasn't one he could really say was a 'friend'. No one he could tell his feelings to... no one to talk to in the way Potter did to his two confidants. Though that was hardly anything to be jealous of- at least he wasn't acquainted with a common Mudblood and a boy whose family were practically Muggles anyway. Whose family also included Ginny Weasley... His mind was brought into sharper focus as her name snapped into his head. Why? She was no one special. No one at all.  
  
Yet somehow she'd managed to earn herself a substantial amount of his thoughts today. Odd, the way people's minds work. Thinking of people... girls... who had no relevance in his life... or anyone else's for that matter, Draco supposed. But something about her had intrigued him. What was it? The way she lacked intimidation by his immense superiority over her? That could well be it. Draco was not used to people who didn't bow down to his every command, and recoil at his every insult. Maybe she didn't know how to act around him. That was it, she just hadn't the experience of his being, that gave him so much awe from people who had. Damn time she learned.  
  
*  
  
Friday night. Around him swirled streamers of colour and light. Music blared brashly all around him as the Slytherin students danced around their common room to the beat. Contrary to what Dumbledore believed, it was not only at the Yule Ball that students like to have fun, relax and hang out with each other. And this way, they didn't have to socialise with the other, more lacking members of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ordinarily, Draco would have been the very life of Slytherin's Friday night gatherings, or blasting out the tunes on the decks, but tonight he was most certainly not in the mood. Not in the mood for the predictable chaos, nor the superficial atmosphere that seemed to suggest they were all one family, and especially not for the way Pansy had approached him a moment ago, the stench of alcohol present on her breath, begging him to come and dance with her. He'd shaken her hands off his wrists in annoyance and her face lost expression as she'd disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Draco stood alone on the sidelines, feeling irritated, depressed and surprisingly lonely. He looked around at the smiling, laughing faces- Potter and the Gryffindors were so wrong in their estimations of Slytherins, they weren't always the conniving, spiteful people they thought they were. In fact sometimes- such as now- they resembled any one of the other houses in their apparent lust for life. And right now, he was just not in the mood for it. He turned and made his usual grand slamming exit from the dungeon, though the sound was drowned out by the music within. As the door closed again behind him, muffling the dull bass beats, he walked down the corridor, not feeling the need to stride along in his usual pace as he knew all the other students would be in their common rooms, enjoying their own parties. He sighed as he reached the Great Hall. Inside, the rows of wooden tables looked as deserted as the corridors around him. There was no one to be seen in any direction. He knew that if Filch found him wandering around he'd be in trouble, but Draco knew that there was little chance of that happening with Filch stuck up in the hospital wing with some illness or other. The stupid Squib probably blew himself up trying to cast a spell or something. Knowing that unless he was unfortunate enough to meet a teacher along the abandoned corridors, he had free reign of the school and grounds tonight. This thought encouraged Draco, and he started off down the corridor towards the main exit. He had to get out of this place. He was sick of the work, the lessons and the loneliness. Maybe some air would clear his head.  
  
The thick oak door creaked as he pushed it open onto a fresh winter's night. In front of him stretched the vast green grounds of Hogwarts. Above him the sky was clear and starry. A light breeze ruffled his blonde hair as he pulled his thick cloak tighter around him, shut the door and settled onto the top step. He smiled for the first time in what felt like ages. This was how it should be. A world that was completely his, that no one could take away from him. He enjoyed the silence around him, a welcome contrast from the common room. It wasn't lessons that inspired his ambition, it was times like now, when the world was a blank slate- a place he could be what he wanted in. What he wanted, and what his father wanted were actually different things. There were times when they were one and the same. He could say with all honesty that he had no desire to become a Death Eater like his father. That was not what would make him content. He wanted more- much more...  
  
A small sigh broke into his thoughts and he jumped to his feet, looking around. "Who's there?" he demanded sharply, his wand already pulled from his robes.  
  
A shadow rose at the bottom of the steps in front of the gate post and came into Draco's line of vision.  
  
"Who is it?" His heart beat faster, nerves on edge.  
  
"Me," came the simple, distinctly feminine, reply. The girl pulled down the hood that concealed her. Wild red hair, lit only by the moonlight and the duskish blue of the night floated around the face of the girl. Draco, slightly shaken, lowered his wand, his heart beating rapidly. Ginny.  
  
The two of them stood in silence, Draco staring down at the figure below him, her staring back up at him. The breeze played softly around them as the minutes passed.  
  
"What are you doing out here, you should be inside," Draco muttered finally, averting his gaze. God, he hoped she couldn't read minds.  
  
"Same can be said for you," she responded lightly.  
  
Draco didn't reply. He should tell her to go away, shout at her for disturbing his peace, intruding into his world... but somehow, he wanted her to stay.  
  
"I should get back inside," Ginny's voice was barely audible. She hurried up the steps towards him, pausing momentarily as he stepped aside. For one moment their eyes locked- her deep brown ones onto his steely grey. Then it was gone. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving Draco to his solitary, newly confused thoughts.  
  
* 


	3. Confusion

Chapter 3 Draco lay awake long after the others in his dormitory had fallen asleep that night, his mind going over and over what had happened between himself and Ginny Weasley. What hadn't happened, he corrected himself. What will never happen. Ever.  
  
What had he been thinking? His trademark wit had failed on him. Ordinarily he would have let out some crude, sharp and ideally insulting comment that would have let her know where she stood with wizards such as himself. So much for letting her 'experience his being'. Still, she'd looked as intimidated by him out there as he had felt taken by her presence.  
  
Why.  
  
He couldn't work it out. Not even after turning it over in his head until past four in the morning. Did he have feelings for this girl? This girl, who was worlds apart from the one he called his own? This girl who, more importantly, was the daughter of a man despised by his own father? Not to mention sister of that common Weasley boy who insisted on following Potter wherever he went. She was a nobody. Virtually non-existent. Most certainly not worthy of his time and thoughts. Although she seemed to be getting much of these anyway.  
  
He turned his gaze to the deep emerald curtains that covered the bay window. He watched as the first morning rays of weak wintry sunshine shone through the gap at the bottom. He must have stayed awake all night. He picked up his wand placed next to his bed.  
  
"Tempus."  
  
A silvery ribbon shot out of the end of the wand, arranging itself into the current time. Seven forty-five. A sudden and entirely welcome wave of sleep hit him and when he woke up, the dormitory was empty. Checking the time again he saw that it was eleven o' clock. A trip to Hogsmeade had been arranged, scheduled to depart from Hogwarts at eleven thirty.  
  
Joining the group of students waiting at the gate, he saw Crabbe and Goyle near the front. Draco's instinct was to stay as far away from them as possible. As gratifying as it was to have the equivalent of two oversized house elves constantly following him around, he did not feel the want of their company today. Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder. His heart jumped- then fell as he realised who it was. Pansy.  
  
"Draco, I thought you weren't coming!" she smiled at him.  
  
"Well I'm here now aren't I?"  
  
"Yes, and that's all that matters! Come on, come and do your shopping with me, I have so much to buy! You can help me find a dress for the Yule Ball Draco, I know you have fine taste in clothes..." she gushed.  
  
God, what had put her in such a saccharin sweet mood this morning? It was slightly nauseating. Thankfully Marcus Flint joined Pansy and Draco at that moment which saved Draco from blasting Pansy with the force of his annoyance.  
  
"Draco," Flint acknowledged him.  
  
Draco merely nodded- he was part angry with Flint for asking Pansy to the Ball. People should know where their boundaries lie, and Flint had a damn cheek if he hadn't noticed that Pansy was well within Draco's. Not that he had intended to do anything about Pansy or her attention but she was almost like an unspoken possession of his that Flint was trying to take away just because he didn't use it.  
  
How rude.  
  
He thought it was high time that he mentioned this to Flint, but a bright flash of colour to Pansy's left captivated him. Ginny. Draco's mind was wiped of any insult about to be thrown at Flint as his attention was torn away from the conversation beside him to the small group of girls in which Ginny was included. Ginny was at the centre, apparently telling something important from the looks on the girls' faces. Draco forced his eyes away from them. What did he care what they were talking about? It can't have been that important, face it- they were Gryffindor girls. When had anything Gryffindors valued ever interested him? What could he have gained from even trying to find out? But something in Draco's subconscious made him question whether Ginny was talking so seriously about him. Ridiculous, he knew it. But what if...?  
  
The walk down to Hogsmeade was a blur to Draco. The more he tried to ignore Ginny, the more she intrigued him with her secretive glances, gestures and whispers to her friends.  
  
He sighed as Hogsmeade came into view. His thoughts and actions over the last couple of days were most unlike him and it was quite disconcerting. Before Ginny had made an appearance in his life, it was straightforward- he knew where he was going, what he wanted to be doing. Now he was not so sure.  
  
* 


	4. Surprises in Hogsmeade

Chapter 4 Two hours later, Draco emerged from the fourth dress robe boutique they had visited. He'd made the mistake of taking an interest in Pansy's idea of visiting them as he hadn't yet bought his own robes. He found the ones he wanted in a matter of seconds- plain, black, long and luxurious- but Pansy would not be satisfied with anything until she'd seen all the dresses known to mankind, it seemed.  
  
He'd really only put up with her for this long because Flint had been hanging around. If there was one thing that annoyed Draco more than Pansy herself, it was Flint and his sudden interest in her. So whilst Draco was around, Flint would back off, knowing he couldn't make any move while Draco was standing there. It had been working so well so far.  
  
"Draco, what do you think of this one? I know it's red, not really my colour, but the style! Isn't it pretty! Ooh I do like this, what do you think? Draco?"  
  
Draco's eyes came back into focus- he'd been off in a world of his own- one far away from Pansy- and looked as she pranced around in front of him wearing a hideous red creation.  
  
"Whatever. Just go and buy it." It wasn't like it really mattered what dress Pansy chose, it seemed that none would do her enough favours to make a significant difference anyway.  
  
Pansy pouted as if this response wasn't quite what she was looking for, and looked and Flint. "What do you think?"  
  
Draco watched in sickened amazement as Flint stared adoringly at Pansy's image.  
  
"I think you look great," he mumbled, clearly embarrassed about expressing this in front of Draco.  
  
Pansy rolled her eyes, muttering something about boys and shopping, and disappeared back into the changing room. Suddenly, Draco realised he'd had enough. Without a word he strode past Flint and out into the street. He took a deep breath of fresh air. Of course, now that he'd left, Flint and Pansy were alone but if keeping them apart meant spending one more second in their company, he'd have killed one of them. Preferably both.  
  
He looked up and down the street. Left was the route back to Hogwarts, right ran towards the square at the centre of Hogsmeade, with its majestic Christmas tree providing a focal, as well as gathering point for visitors to the town. Running a hand through his hair he made his way towards the Christmas tree, fleetingly wondering where Ginny had disappeared to, then cursing himself for the thought. The street was finely decorated in the spirit of Christmas, with wreaths of holly hanging on the wooden shop doors, softly glowing candles floating above the heads of the crowd and small garden fairies creating bursts of sparkling colour for the delight of the teeming street, witches and wizards hurrying by getting the last of their Christmas shopping, small children clutching their parents' hands, holding bags of Honeydukes sweets, street vendors with market stalls calling out, "Bewitch your garden with our non-melting snow- only eleven sickles!" or similar.  
  
Attention entirely taken by a whole host of things that would now be appearing on his Christmas list, he turned the corner and smacked right into someone coming the other way. He straightened up unsteadily and regarded the one unfortunate enough to get in his way.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Watch where you're going, why don't you!" his eyes flashed menacingly at the figure before him. The figure with the mass of burning red hair, now matching the colour of her flushed cheeks. Ginny.  
  
He watched as she bent down, silently retrieving the numerous bags that had been thrown into the air on her collision. Why didn't she reply to him? Why didn't she apologise for her clumsiness? What was wrong with her? Irritation coursed through Draco's veins. Ginny, bags now in hand, stood unmovingly in front of him.  
  
"Thanks for helping me." Was that a hint of sarcasm in her voice? What kind of response did she want to that? That was not the kind of apology he had in mind.  
  
For one moment, the eyes that had been avoiding his contact locked onto his, as they had done last night. For one moment, the anger and annoyance that had risen in Draco's chest melted away. For one moment, the crowd around them disappeared...  
  
*  
  
"Listen, would you like to go to the Three Broomsticks and get a drink?" God, what had he just said? Good one Draco, he congratulated himself. This isn't going to confuse matters even more. He'd even left himself open to rejection...  
  
Ginny's brow wrinkled as she tilted her head slightly to one side. Probably wondering what he was on about. He didn't even know himself. He kept her eye contact. Tactics, that was what it was about. Make it hard for her to get away.  
  
"Ok," came the timid (and, Draco noticed triumphantly, somewhat scared) reply.  
  
* 


	5. The Three Broomsticks

Chapter 5 The pub was as busy as usual, if not busier due to the excess of Christmas shoppers. A tall and bushy tree sat in the corner, lights and decorations twinkling merrily, adding to the undeniably warm and jolly atmosphere. Scattered liberally around the large pub were small groups of Hogwarts students. Draco wondered if it wasn't a mistake coming here. What would his fellow Slytherins think, given his present company? Considering he wasn't altogether sure himself exactly what he was doing with his present company. But Draco had always been one to act first, think later. He had considerable faith in his own instincts.  
  
He got the two of them butterbeers and they settled at a cosy table in the window of the pub.  
  
They sat in silence for a moment. Draco studied her profile as she gazed out of the window at the snow that had started to fall. He wanted to ask her why she'd sat all alone out in the dark last night. Why she'd sat for so long without revealing herself to him. Why there was this charged tension between them...  
  
"What is it you want from me, Malfoy?" Ginny broke the silence, turning her penetrating stare onto him. Draco didn't reply. "Really, I know what you're like, my brother's told me."  
  
"Oh really? And what exactly has your brother said?" Draco was somewhat taken aback by her brashness. Her apparent lack of trust in him.  
  
Ginny's eyes narrowed. "You know how you stand with my brother and his friends. Surely I don't have to tell you?"  
  
This was not going at all the way Draco liked. It was not her place to bring up his relations with other people. Let it go, he told himself, this is not why you're here- you're not here to fight.  
  
"No, you don't have to tell me. I couldn't care less. What makes their opinions so valid? Don't you have a mind of your own?" He couldn't hold that one in. It had to be said. He felt almost victorious as he saw the effect of his words.  
  
Ginny's brow wrinkled slightly as she took her time to reply. "I don't need your insults Malfoy, if you've got something to say to me then just say it."  
  
There was a challenge. What exactly did he want to say to her?  
  
She must have taken his delay in response as a great effort to keep in an insult, as she started to gather her bags and made as if to leave. "I wasn't expecting much from you Malfoy. If you had any kind of decency you'd at least apologise for knocking me over back then. You'd think with a family as rich as yours, you could afford some manners. Money isn't everything, you know. You might have all the power in the world- but that won't earn you friendship. My brother and his friends were right about you."  
  
"I don't give a damn about your precious brother or his pathetic friends," he spat before he could stop himself, all thoughts as to why he'd asked Ginny for a drink in the first place vacated his mind.  
  
Ginny slammed her hand down on the table, almost spilling her butterbeer. "How dare you!" The shake in her voice went unnoticed.  
  
Draco rose to his feet. Anger coursed through him. She had a cheek. It was almost downright rudeness. For once, he'd not started the brawl. This was all Potter's fault. He'd poisoned her mind.  
  
Ginny rose level with him, her face inches away from his. There was a burning anger in her eyes, but was that disappointment as well?  
  
A gust of cold air hit them as the door of the pub opened and Pansy and Flint walked in. They made as if to join him then stopped as their eyes drifted to his company. Panic hit Draco with a blast more icy than the wind. He couldn't let Ginny walk out on him with Pansy and Flint watching. How humiliating. He had to do something. And that something was what he did best.  
  
"You're pathetic, Weasley. You're not worth my time. Get out of my sight. And don't ever bother me again," he hissed venomously at her, purposefully loud enough to be sure that Pansy, Flint and anyone else who cared to listen knew that he was leaving her. Definitely not the other way around... As if that would ever happen.  
  
Ginny's surprised expression vanished as a look of total hurt and betrayal crossed her elf-like face. Her eyes shining with what were unmistakably unshed tears, she pushed past him, out of the door and into the street.  
  
Regret hit Draco like a ton of bricks. What had he done? But he'd had to, he told himself. She'd forced him. She was about to make him look a fool.  
  
Unsteadily he ran a hand through his hair as he turned to Flint and Pansy who were standing behind him.  
  
"What was that about, Draco? Who was she?" Pansy asked, an unmistakable note of jealousy in her voice.  
  
"One of your admirers Malfoy?" Flint joked, as Pansy's face fell. "Tell her where to go, did you?"  
  
Draco remained silent as he stared at the door. The door that had been flung open by the only person who seemed important in his life at the moment. It was too surreal. He couldn't reply to Flint. It offered him a perfect explanation for the scene they'd just witnessed, but somehow, Draco was not proud of that scene. Not at all.  
  
* 


	6. Finding Ginny

Chapter 6  
  
Draco muttered something about having to go and hastily exited the pub, with Flint and Pansy watching confusedly as he left. They made as if to follow him but one glare from his steely grey eyes held them back. It was as if they were turning into Crabbe and Goyle or something. What did he have to do to get his own space?  
  
The blustery wind swiftly blew the snowy clouds across the sky, momentarily revealing the moon, bright and full, before it was obscured again. Draco's rebellious streak made him contemplate not going back to Hogwarts this evening. There was nothing to tempt him back. Not after today's events.  
  
However, he knew his father would have a lot to say if he found out that his son had been found missing from his dormitory tonight. Although it wasn't what he said that would worry Draco. Cruel words and insults flowed as easily from his father's mouth as his own- and Draco had learned to ignore this. It didn't affect him anymore. No, it was more what he would do that often stopped Draco acting on his impulses. There was no deceiving Lucius Malfoy. Nothing could stop him imposing and enforcing his own rules. He was the only person able to influence Draco. The only person that he couldn't shout down, disregard or disobey. Draco raised his eyes to the sky as the moon briefly reappeared, lighting his solitary path back to Hogwarts.  
  
Before he'd even had the time to pass the Hogwarts gates, his stride was broken by a familiar, and somewhat unwelcome figure. That Gryffindor Mudblood, Hermione Granger. Draco glared at her as she barred his path.  
  
"Get out of my way! Are you blind or something?" Draco bit out.  
  
The flurry of snowflakes couldn't cool the fiery expression on her face as she glared back at him. "Do you know what you've done?"  
  
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about Granger, now kindly get out of my way." He pushed past her, moving ahead towards the castle.  
  
"Malfoy, what on earth did you do to Ginny? She got home in such a state, mumbling something incoherent about you. I can't begin to imagine why. And now she's nowhere to be seen. You'd better have a decent explanation for this," she folded her arms and stared defiantly into his face as he turned round to address her.  
  
How dare she demand anything of him? He blasted her with a frosty reply that he knew would be lies; she didn't deserve anything better.  
  
"If Weasley's sister has disappeared, then that's her own business. Her business- in which I am not involved. I suggest you look for more suitable reasons for your loss. You're not going to find her anywhere near me, I assure you of that." With an air of finality in his tone, he strode past that know-it-all annoyance of a Mudblood back up to the castle, as a look of pure disbelief crossed her face. His pace quickened, with an annoyed, more forceful intent, a look of pure resent on his face. He didn't stop until he reached the common room, where he pushed the heavy door open with such a force that it crashed back against the wall. He stormed over to the fireplace and fell back into his chair. He stared deeply into the fire, frowning.  
  
He had a pretty good idea where she'd be. Like an instinct, he could almost sense her there. But he remained in his seat, glaring at the flickering flames. She deserved the isolation. She should know what it feels like. She had been undeniably rude to him today, and she hadn't even given him a chance. But there was a problem. When Granger found her, she'd be sure to reinforce what Ginny would sure surely be thinking now- about what nasty and terrible human being he was. Draco's eyes narrowed.  
  
Breathing heavily, he rose from the chair, flung his thick black cloak around his shoulders and headed back out of the dungeons.  
  
His heart jumped as he felt the need for urgency in finding her. Finding her before Granger. His pace quickened as he headed towards the main exit. He silently pushed open the heavy oak doors. He looked down at the empty steps ahead of him. He stood silently for a moment gazing out onto the snow covered Hogwarts grounds. No one, it seemed was around. Not to be deceived as he had been the night before, he slowly made his way down the steps. A small dark figure, head down, red hair ruffling slightly in the breeze, sat hugging her knees against the shadowed side of the gatepost. Draco's heart gave an unexpected jump. Now that he'd seen her, he realised that he didn't care whether Granger was looking for her. He'd found her now, and she was not going to escape him again.  
  
*  
  
He stood silently in front of her for a moment, her head still buried in her hands, cloak wrapped tightly around herself against the bitter winter air. She hadn't seemed to have noticed he was there. Then, as he stood watching her, she stirred and lifted her head. She raised her hand to wipe at the stream falling from her liquid brown eyes. Something inside Draco jolted. He'd made her like this. He'd created this state in front of him. It was down to him. An instinctive feeling of pride surged through him. It was almost a confirmation of the power and effect he had over others.  
  
She looked into his face and angrily looked away again. "Just leave me alone. Haven't you done enough already?"  
  
Obviously not, Draco wanted to say. If I'd done enough, I wouldn't be here now would I? But his heart softened as he took in the sad expression on her usually animated face. He knew what he was about to do, and didn't care that he didn't know why. He didn't care about the consequences. All he knew was that he was where he wanted to be, with the person he wanted to be with. Not doing what was expected of him just because that was how he'd been taught to live his life.  
  
"No, I haven't. There's something I forgot to do before..."  
  
She regarded him uncertainly as she accepted the strong hand that helped her to her feet. An electric charge ran through Draco as their hands met. Her eyes sparkled at him as he pulled her close. So close he could smell the faint scent of coconut on her hair.  
  
He leaned in and kissed her gently.  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her waist protectively. Pulling slightly apart for a moment, she gazed into his eyes so deeply she would surely be able to see his thoughts. For his part, he just flicked his light gaze over her face. Her eyes glinted in the soft lights from the castle, and tiny snowflakes caught in her long lashes. Her lips curved into a small smile as he leaned in and kissed her again.  
  
The world around them dissolved. Standing so close, it was as if Hogwarts had disappeared. All cruel words were forgotten. Their differences were lost. The moon shone down on them as snow swirled wildly- it was a magic of its own. This couldn't have been created with wands.  
  
Adrenaline rushed through Draco. This was his proof that he had the ability to obtain whatever he wanted. He'd been rude to her, hurt her, and yet she was still his for the taking. Not to mention this was an undeniable rebellion against his father. Pansy Parkinson. That was whom his father considered a suitable match for him. The situation was almost laughable. Draco congratulated himself on his accomplishment.  
  
"Ginny! Ginny where are you?" frantic voices called into the night, not far away.  
  
Ginny made no reply. She stumbled back from Draco's grasp. Her eyes widened with apprehension as the voices she knew so well neared. Draco made no effort to move.  
  
Three all too familiar figures appeared in front of them. All with the same disbelieving expression splashed across their faces. Draco couldn't have planned it more perfectly if he'd tried. They'd found Ginny in the hands of the enemy. He'd beaten them to her. He'd won.  
  
"Ginny! Thank God you're ok!" The bushy haired Mudblood pushed past him, suffocating Ginny in a tight, possessive hug. "What on earth are you doing out here with him?"  
  
"N-Nothing," stammered Ginny. Draco smirked. He'd even broken her loyalty to her fellow Gryffindors, not to mention her own brother and friends.  
  
"You've got some nerve Malfoy. Just leave my sister alone, you hear me? Or I'll curse you," the red headed boy added in what Draco supposed was a menacing tone. Wand aimed straight at his heart, Draco sneered and knocked it away dismissively with the back of his hand.  
  
"You'll curse me? You'll be lucky, you couldn't manage a simple Transfiguration spell with that poor excuse for a wand," Draco drawled in his custom patronising manner.  
  
"Just ignore him Ron." The Mudblood shot a warning glance at Weasley as she clung to Ginny as if Draco were about to eat her, or something equally as absurd.  
  
He was very aware of Ginny's eyes trying to lock onto his- silently begging him not to tell their secret. Draco purposefully ignored this. It fuelled his sense of power over her. Not that he intended to tell the three interfering Gryffindors in front of him of all people what had just happened...  
  
"Come on, let's go. We don't have to tolerate this," Potter the diplomat instructed his followers. Like dogs following their master, Granger and Weasley turned and followed the retreating scarhead up the steps and into the castle, pulling Ginny along with them. Draco caught a glimpse of the distinct confusion written across Ginny's flushed face as the door slammed shut behind them. Draco smirked to himself. If things were chaotic before, they were about the get a hell of a lot worse. And Draco liked that.  
  
* 


	7. Trouble

Chapter 7 Draco spent the rest of that night mentally congratulating himself on his achievement. He deserved it, after all. From nothing, he'd created confusion, broken trusts, and above all, something that would drive Potter insane when he found out, and there would be nothing that scarhead could do about it.  
  
But there was one thing that bothered him. It had rarely done so before, but he knew what it was. His conscience. Everyone knows that listening to your conscience was a sign of weakness. It was just something that stopped you putting yourself first. But it seemed to be telling him that somewhere inside he felt bad about using Ginny to fuel his power trips. But why? The only reason he could think of was not attractive...  
  
Frowning, he turned his attention to the rays of brilliant winter sunshine that streamed through his dormitory window. The previous night's snow had settled, covering Hogwarts like a thick blanket. Gazing out of the window he could see other Hogwarts students running around childishly, making a large amount of unnecessary noise, throwing bits of snow at each other. How immature. They'd never catch him doing anything as pointless as that.  
  
He had better things to do with his time anyhow. As tedious as it was, homework had to be done sometime, and it might as well be now since everyone else found it more useful to be outside playing with the products of weather, so at least he'd have some peace.  
  
The large floor to ceiling windows in the library lit the vast, deserted room with the perfect atmosphere for working in. Time ticked by as Draco began his Divination homework. More pretentious rubbish, he thought. Surely she doesn't buy this stuff we make up? As he was putting the finishing touches on predicting his own future successes, the door of the library swung open. A red headed girl faltered in the doorway as she caught his eye. She stood awkwardly, as if contemplating leaving, then with a more determined expression she set her papers down opposite him and began working. If that wasn't a downright distraction to his work, he didn't know what was.  
  
Now he saw her, the rush of emotion- the feelings and sensations- he'd felt last night came flooding back to him. Averting his eyes from the open book of potions in front of him, he studied Ginny. There was no denying that she was stunningly pretty, in her own unique way. Draco looked at her brown eyes, flecked with amber, framed with long dark lashes as she studied her notes. The way her hair fell carelessly across her face before she tucked it back behind her ear. As if she could feel his eyes on her, she glanced up at him. Caught his eye. She looked at him, her pretty eyes showing him no expression whatsoever. Almost as if she was annoyed with him or something. There was something... intriguing about that. He held her eye contact, feeling as if they were drawing him towards her.  
  
God, what was happening to him? This was a Weasley for Heaven's sake. It was almost as if he had real feelings for her. Something more than just the feeling of power over her. A confirmation of what he'd feared for a while, and of why his conscience was bothering him. He allowed her a brief nod of acknowledgement before he forced his eyes back onto his books, his heart beating rapidly at what he'd just allowed himself to think.  
  
A small cough beside him made him raise his head. Pansy, standing at the bookshelves on his right, hastily stopped looking at him and pretended to study the books intently on the shelves in front of her, a mixed look of surprise, jealousy and, most disturbingly- knowing, on her face. Draco breathed hard. Exactly how much of his connection with Ginny had she seen?  
  
*  
  
Draco slammed his books shut and looked at Ginny. A slow smile spread over his face as her eyes flickered up at him. Pansy's back to them, he motioned to Ginny to follow him, and left the library. Ginny hesitated, sighing almost exasperatedly, then followed, leaving her books open and forgotten on the library table.  
  
"What?" Ginny asked.  
  
Draco stopped walking and turned to face her. Taking her hand in his, he pulled her forwards. "Come on. This way."  
  
A mischievous grin slowly broke out on her face as they hurried along the winding corridors. Past the Great Hall, up the stairs towards Divination, down a long narrow corridor lined with old paintings, down a tall, winding staircase.  
  
"In here." Draco opened the wooden door ahead of him revealing an old, deserted classroom. Half lit through the frail looking windows, a dusky light fell across the room. Pulling Ginny inside, he kicked the door shut and drew her towards him. From the look on her face he knew that there was no denying her feelings towards him. And, although he couldn't see his own expression, he knew that it read similarly. Ginny's eyes sparkled as she smiled up at him, reflecting the glittering rays of light that cut across the empty chamber. As their lips met, Draco was aware of the tenderness in Ginny's approach and his heart rushed at the sensation of having her close to him. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. It didn't compare to anything he'd ever cherished- his rare triumphs over Potter, the equally rare praising word from his father, or even the prospect of his ability to fulfil his ambitions.  
  
What amazed him the most was that this feeling had been entirely created by someone who differed from himself in all possible ways. It was strange. It was unlikely. But that didn't mean it couldn't happen.  
  
Running his hand through Ginny's hair, he pulled back and looked at her. Visibly intimidated by his penetrating gaze, she looked away. He allowed a small smile to cross his face. Not his trademark smirk- a real expression of happiness. Not that Ginny was looking to see it, but it was there. It wasn't something he felt any desire to show frequently.  
  
Suddenly, a crash behind them broke through the silence in the air. Draco spun around. Pansy was standing in the doorway, a murderous expression crossing her round face. Her eyes widened as she saw Ginny, standing slightly behind Draco, and advanced towards her.  
  
"What the hell are you doing in here with him- with my Draco? Get your filthy Gryffindor hands off of him!" she screeched, lurching at Ginny. A resounding slap filled the room.  
  
Rage coursed through Draco. Ginny looked as if she were about to retaliate, but this wasn't her fight. He pushed Pansy away from Ginny and faced her with pure malice in his expression. Repressed fear shot through Pansy's face as she backed away from him.  
  
"Get out of here! How dare you interfere in my life. It's none of your business what I do, or with whom I do it. There is nothing between you and me and there never will be. Get that into your thick head and learn to keep out of where you're not wanted. If you can't understand that, then you're more of a fool than everyone thinks you are," he snarled.  
  
"But you're making a mistake Draco. Can't you see it? You should be with someone of your own kind, someone who understands the art of darkness- someone you can call an equal..." God, she was persistent.  
  
"If you think you're my equal, Pansy, you're sadly mistaken," Draco replied stiffly.  
  
"You know we're meant to be together Draco, everyone says so. Your family... my family... all the other Slytherins..."  
  
"Damn what everyone else says. I refuse to listen to this!" He pulled his wand from his robes. "Get out of here Pansy."  
  
The warmth in her expression faded, though her cheeks were flushed. Her narrowed eyes locked onto his, then down at the wand aimed at her. "Fine. Fine, I'll go. You haven't heard the end of this Draco." Her robes flew out behind her as she rushed out of the room.  
  
Draco tore his eyes away from the empty doorway and onto Ginny. He strode over to her side. She turned towards him, revealing the angry red marks across her cheek.  
  
"I'll make her pay for this," he promised, as much to himself as to Ginny. He leaned in to kiss her again, but her eyes were frozen on the doorway. He spun his head around. The sight that met him was unnerving. Three glaring stares burned into him, wands poised.  
  
* 


	8. Betrayal I

Chapter 8 Draco leaned casually on the table behind him as he addressed Potter in his most cool of tones.  
  
"Nice to see you Potter. Anything I can help you with?" Draco smiled sarcastically at the three Gryffindors ahead of him. He took in the wands pointing right at him, but he also spotted a rolled up old parchment in Potter's hand. What was that? Not important right now... He made no effort to move away from Ginny. She remained as close to him.  
  
Potter can't have had any decent reply, as he remained silent. He glared at Draco and shifted his eyes to Ginny with what was unmistakably shock and disappointment present in his gaze. She however, gazed back nonchalantly. Without a word, he turned with a flourish and disappeared through the doorway as Pansy had done only a matter of minutes ago, sweeping papers lying on nearby desks into the air, landing haphazardly on the floor. Weasley and Granger were left standing helplessly alone without their devoted leader.  
  
"Ginny?" the Mudblood started. "What...?" He felt Ginny bristle by his side, but the sentence was cut off as Weasley pushed past and approached Draco, who raised an amused eyebrow at him.  
  
"You are absolute slime, Malfoy. Come on, what spell have you got on my sister? I swear, if you don't let her go right now you'll regret it," he snarled.  
  
"Is that a threat Weasley? I'd think more carefully about that if I were you. You must understand you're in way out of your depth. In any case, you'll find that your sister is under no magical influence of mine."  
  
Oblivious to Draco's superiority, he pushed closer hissing, "I thought I told you to stay away from her. She's not going to be any part of your twisted, sick little conspiracy." He turned his head to address Ginny. "Come on Gin, it's ok now, come back to the common room with us." It sounded more of an order than a request, which irritated Draco somewhat.  
  
Ginny glared at her brother. "I'm a bit old for the protective brother thing, Ron. I don't want to go back. I'm fine where I am." She held her head high as Ron glowered at her, this tips of his ears decidedly pink.  
  
"What?! Gin, what's wrong with you? It's Malfoy. You don't want to be getting involved with him!" he scowled in Draco's direction.  
  
"Your sister's got more sense that you have, Weasley. She has standards with her acquaintances. You'd do yourself a favour to follow her example," Draco drawled. "Why don't you just leave? Surely you've had enough experience to know when you're not wanted," he added.  
  
The Mudblood, obviously feeling that she'd gone without comment for too long pushed forward and took Ginny's hands. "Ginny, you're making a mistake. He's got you under his spell, magical or otherwise. You know what he's like."  
  
"Hermione, I know a lot more than Ron, Harry- and even you- give me credit for. I'm not the one who's wrong here. Maybe you should all open your eyes a bit and see what's really there," Ginny replied. Coolly done, Draco mentally congratulated her. He fought to hold in an exclamation of triumph as utter surprise and shock crossed Granger's face. Serves her right. Always telling other people what's right and wrong. See how she likes it when someone throws it back at her. Draco slid his arm around Ginny's waist and pulled her close; if there was anything he knew, it was how to successfully aggravate that annoying threesome.  
  
Weasley threw an incredulous look at Ginny, who just looked away out of the window. He glared at Draco with such pure venom, Draco had to admit that the force of dislike on display in front of him was unexpected. That kind of power could not have come from a Weasley.  
  
"Well Ginny, if you ever decide to remember where your roots are and get rid of this git, you'll know where to find us. That's if you're fit for anything after he's finished with you." With these parting words he stormed out, Granger hurrying after him.  
  
The door slammed shut behind them, leaving a deafening silence in their wake that filled the vast room.  
  
Draco looked at Ginny. She was glaring at the door. "I can't believe he just said that! Who does he think he is, my mother? I can make my own decisions for God's sake!" It sounded more as though she was talking to herself than to Draco.  
  
"Forget them," said Draco easily. "They're not worth it."  
  
"Hmmm," was all she'd say to that. "So... what were you saying before we were so rudely interrupted?" She grinned cheekily at him as he leaned over and kissed her again, his strong arms circling her once more. "Come on," she added, a bit later, "we'd better go."  
  
Stepping over the mess of papers Potter had swept onto the floor, Draco noticed an old parchment lying on top. Looking more closely, he saw that it was a map of some sort. Small, labelled dots were moving all over it. He reached down to pick it up, but Ginny got there first. In a flight of panic, she quickly rolled it up and stuffed it into her robes. What was it? Why was she hiding it? It must be important, then...  
  
"What's that?" The suspicion was barely disguised.  
  
"Nothing, nothing..." Ginny replied hastily. Lying. Blatantly lying. Why? Irritation coursed through him. Obviously she didn't give her trust away for free. He remained silent until they reached the dungeons.  
  
"Later, Ginny," he murmured, pulling her close one last time in the empty corridor, hand slipping unnoticeably into the pocket of Ginny's robes. She smiled at him as he walked away. Back turned to her, a smug smile broke across his face as he clutched the rolled up parchment in his hand...  
  
*  
  
The moon shone through the dormitory window. It must have been very late, about two in the morning Draco supposed. Eyes wide open, he stared at the old parchment that lay rolled up, lit by a thin beam of moonlight, tied now with a green ribbon, laying tantalisingly on his bedside table. Since removing it from Ginny's possession, he hadn't had the chance to study it. Now however, there was no one to disrupt him. The perfect chance to work out what it does, and why Ginny was so protective of it.  
  
He rose from his bed and contemplated getting dressed to go down to the common room, but it would be deserted this time of night, no need to make an impression on anyone, so wearing only his boxers, he threw his black silk dressing gown around him and descended the winding staircase clutching the parchment tightly in his supple hands.  
  
The fireplace burst into bright green flame as he entered, casting eerie shadows around the common room. Although he knew it was empty, he couldn't help being distracted by the flickering shadows that made him feel as if he was being watched by silent onlookers. He shuddered. There was something spooky about being down in the dungeons all alone.  
  
He spread the parchment out on the dark mahogany table by the fire. Frowning at it, his pale eyes took in the elaborate crest at the top with the depictions and letters proclaiming, 'Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP'.  
  
Draco had guessed at what the map did in the few seconds he'd seen it earlier that day. That, surely, was how Potter had known that he and Ginny were together, and also where to find them. The animated halls of Hogwarts we still visible now, though devoid now of all moving dots. Not surprisingly really, since everyone was in bed asleep.  
  
Or maybe they weren't. A rapid movement to the right hand side of the map caught Draco's attention. He frowned as two small dots sped away from the dungeons, towards the Gryffindor area of the castle. It was only when the dots stopped moving, in the Transfiguration classroom that Draco was able to see who the dots represented. Pansy and Flint.  
  
What were they doing out of bed? And what's more, together? What the hell was Flint playing at? Without stopping to think why, he rose from his chair and stormed after Pansy and Flint, gripping the wand that he always carried with him, with only the thought of the betrayal of his Quidditch captain. The rational part of his mind knew that he had no comprehensible reason to want Flint away from Pansy, but as far as Flint knew, they were destined- by their families and otherwise, to be together.  
  
Without really knowing how he'd got there, Draco found himself standing opposite a door which stood partially open, a yellow ray of light shining out of it, lighting a narrow strip of the stone corridor. Checking the map, he knew this was where Pansy and Flint were. He paused, hiding in the shadows as snatches of conversation floated from the doorway.  
  
"She manipulative, that's what she is. She's been plotting this, to take him away from me." Pansy's voice, dripping with hatred rang out.  
  
"She's nothing compared to you!" Flint was trying to console her. "Don't let a common Gryffindor get to you!"  
  
"That's just it! She's common- and a Gryffindor! My family has power rivalling his own, and I'm a Slytherin. What the hell is he doing with her?"  
  
"There's been something wrong with Malfoy for a while now... I think he might be converting, you know, from the Dark Side," Flint muttered.  
  
"And who's fault's that? That damn Gryffindor's! She's corrupted him! We have to get him back to where he belongs, away from that-"  
  
"So what are you suggesting? And why did you want to talk in here? Why not the dungeons?" Flint interrupted, sounding curious.  
  
"Use your brains Marcus. It's way to risky in the dungeons. And I'm suggesting we do something about it. Accidentally push her off the roof or something," Pansy's voice sounded sulky.  
  
"Bit drastic don't you think?" Flint sounded mildly amused at the strength of Pansy's determination.  
  
"I don't care. Ambition, that's what we're prized for isn't it? If I have my heart set on something, it would be wrong to ignore it wouldn't it? Flinty?" Pansy cooed at him.  
  
"We'd have to make it look like an accident," Flint contemplated, sounding uncharacteristically as though he knew what he was talking about.  
  
Draco moved so he could see their traitorous faces more clearly. Pansy's face lit up with a demonic smile at Flint's words. To Draco, it seemed as though Flint didn't really understand the depth of what he was saying- he was just going along with what would make Pansy happy, whatever the consequences.  
  
"So you're in then. The two of us. We'll need a foolproof plan. I suggest we come down here tomorrow night- to discuss her demise." Pansy's eyes glazed over and she smiled at her reverie.  
  
Fury was raging inside Draco. How dare they? He highly doubted Pansy's ability to bring about the demise of anyone, or anything after seeing her wand work in class, but how dare she even think about it? Clutching his wand tightly in his hand, he kicked the door wide open and faced the two. Pansy and Flint jumped as if they had been caught playing with fire.  
  
"Draco, how nice to see you," Pansy purred, regaining her composure.  
  
"Too late, Pansy. I know what you're planning."  
  
"So what are you going to do Draco? Tell on us?" Pansy taunted him.  
  
"I don't need to. By tomorrow, you won't remember a thing about this," he replied, pulling out his wand. "Obliviate!"  
  
A jet of light bolted from his wand. Anticipating his reaction as only she could after her years of careful observation, Pansy raised her own wand and cried, "Expelliarmus!" A second shoot of blinding light flashed into the room, clashing in the air with Draco's spell. A great bang shook the room as the spells cancelled each other out.  
  
"Obliviate!" Draco shouted again.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" This time, two voices rang through the air so filled with magic and tension that it crackled. Two jets of light sprang towards Draco, combining to create twice its strength. His own curse missed its target as his wand was wrenched from his grasp.  
  
Wandless, he turned to face Flint and Pansy again. "Now what? I suppose you think you're clever. Remember, I know what you're planning- and Pansy, it won't get you anywhere. Ginny has character and soul that you'll never have. I'd rather she were a Mudblood than choose you as my girlfriend," Draco bit at her. Shocked silence filled the room, as Draco and Pansy glared at each other. Suddenly, footsteps were heard coming down the corridor towards their room. Pansy hastily gathered her things.  
  
"You'll regret this Draco, I swear you will," she hissed. "Avada connaise!"  
  
A flash of bright blue light blinded him. The spell hit Draco with such a force that he was thrown backward into the stone wall. Stars appeared in front of his eyes as he tried to keep consciousness, and he blinked at the figures of Pansy and Flint standing over his crumpled form on the floor, laughing. The footsteps outside were coming closer.  
  
"Goodbye Draco." Pansy and Flint rushed out of a door at the back of the room just as the one Draco had entered through was slowly pushed open. His head spun madly, then darkness overtook him.  
  
* 


	9. Betrayal II

Chapter 9 He felt as if he'd been asleep forever. His eyes were reluctant to open. He was aware of blurry shapes moving around him. It was bright; he closed his eyes again.  
  
"Mr Malfoy."  
  
Somewhere in his mind he realised he was being addressed. Go away, he thought. He kept his eyes shut and hoped they'd get the message. The voice, however, persisted.  
  
"Mr Malfoy, perhaps you would do me the courtesy of opening your eyes and paying a little attention." A sharp, clipped voice touched with a hint of sarcasm focused him and he looked up, and recognised Professor McGonagall.  
  
"What." His head hurt, and he felt decidedly groggy.  
  
McGonagall pursed her lips. She took a deep breath, as if she was about to explain a complicated theorem to a naughty child who really didn't care, and Draco noticed, and felt rather patronised, loathing her for it.  
  
"You are in the hospital wing, Mr Malfoy. You were hit by a curse. Perhaps you recall? Avada connaise. A nasty little spell, designed to kill a person's consciousness. I myself heard the incantation, and very fortunately for you, the curse was issued by an underage wizard who had neither the knowledge nor the power to place it effectively, but you were knocked out by the force with which it hit you." Bloody hell, get on with it. Someone should tell her we're not in class right now. She'll probably teach me how to cast it next if she doesn't shut up with the text book talk.  
  
"This is an important business, Mr Malfoy, as I'm sure you are aware, so if you would be so kind as to tell me who accompanied you in your wandering of the corridors last night we can sort this matter out immediately."  
  
Draco sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, Professor," he lied coolly, "But I have no recollection of anyone cursing me, or being out after hours."  
  
The disbelief obvious on her face, McGonagall pursed her lips again. "Well, I suggest then, that you come to me immediately once your memory is restored to you." Draco shrugged. "I see you have visitors. Perhaps they will jog your memory," McGonagall added rather sourly.  
  
Draco looked towards the door of the hospital wing and saw the most unwelcome pair he could imagine.  
  
"Draco my dear, how are you feeling today?" Pansy cooed.  
  
"Alright," Flint nodded at him.  
  
What the hell... This he hadn't expected. They were acting as if nothing had happened. "Get out," Draco growled.  
  
"Now, now Drakie," Pansy giggled. "We heard you talking to McGonagall, and you didn't give us away. Loyalty. Bit of a Gryffindor trait, that," she sniffed. "Still, we want you to know that we didn't mean what we said last night, we got a bit carried away. You know how it is." She smiled generously at him.  
  
He gazed back open mouthed and entirely disbelieving. And he noted, with some irony, how Pansy emphasised 'we'. If Flint had anything to do with devising her plans, he'd call Dumbledore his hero. As if.  
  
"So, what are you saying? That planning to kill Ginny was a bit of a game for you? Just a slip of the tongue, was it?"  
  
"Oh Draco, don't be silly! I didn't think for one second you'd take us seriously! Of course we wouldn't hurt her, how could you think I'd do that!" Draco wanted to throw up. Any more of her sickening sweetness, and he would. All over Pansy, if he aimed right. "Ooh, look who it is." Pansy pointed to the doorway, where a slight figure was faltering in the shadows. "It's your girlfriend. (Draco bristled.) Ahh, isn't that nice? Come on Flintie, we should go, leave the lovebirds to it!" She wrinkled her pug nose at Draco in a simpering grimace, which Draco knew from years of experience to be her most sincerely insincere smile.  
  
The two Slytherins vanished from Draco's eyes in a flash of Weasley-red hair. She certainly knew how to take his attention.  
  
"You will not believe what just happened," Draco muttered to her, reaching for her hand. She snatched it away from him, and the look on her face was not favourable.  
  
"Probably not. Coming from you it's probably just another lie anyway. That's what you're best at, isn't it Draco? Lies and deceit?"  
  
What the hell was she talking about?  
  
"The map, Draco. Do I really need to spell it out? It's... mine. You took it. I want it back, now."  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise. The ungrateful little... If he hadn't taken the map, he wouldn't have known about Pansy and her evil and petty little schemes, despite all she'd just said to the contrary. And who the hell gave her the right to talk to him like that? She was just a Weasley. He was a Malfoy; the mere name commanded respect. Fine. If she was going to be like that then so be it. So what if someone was plotting against her? She'd have to find out on her own. As an afterthought, he realised that not telling her was a good idea; she'd tell a teacher about it most probably, a nasty habit she'd picked up from that awful Granger. This was one problem he could deal with without their interference.  
  
"It's a map, Ginny. It's not like it's anything important. I thought you had a little more perspective, but I forget, you're a Weasley. They do tend to blow up at the littlest things." He couldn't resist the dig at her brother. She deserved it. Talk about uptight.  
  
"For God's sake, what the hell's your problem? Anyone would think I was asking something unreasonable of you. Theft is theft, despite what you think of what you've taken. You're being really petty, Malfoy," Ginny snapped. Anger surged from his heart. How dare she. He glared at her pretty brown eyes, and flaming hair, framing her tense face glaring back at him. He resented her just then, and resented himself for the feelings he had for this girl, this girl who had the power to make him so happy, but also insanely angry. He pushed the feelings away, ignoring them as he bit out his final reply,  
  
"Give it a rest, Weasley. Anyone would think I'd care what you're saying. You want your bloody map back, take it. If you're going to force your emotional outbursts on me, do it when no one else is listening."  
  
Ginny stared hard at him. "Emotional outbursts. Right. I'll take them back to Gryffindor with me. I'll try not to bother you again." And with that she got up and stalked out the door.  
  
Draco watched her leave. His eyes remained on the empty doorway long after she'd left. He drew in a deep, faltering breath, calming his nerves. As fast as his anger had risen it subsided, leaving the aching sensation of regret in its place. His hands were visibly shaking. He cursed himself for allowing her to make him act this way. It wasn't possible for anyone to hold power over him, his name and title said as much... but here she was, doing it anyway. And he loved her for it. Loved? Oh God...  
  
"You've got to do something, you know," a small voice said beside him. He turned in surprise and saw a tiny girl, she could be no older than the first year, lying in the bed a few feet to his left, looking a rather odd shade of blue.  
  
"What?" he snapped.  
  
"You love her don't you. I can tell. And you're going to lose her unless you do something," she repeated.  
  
"Shut it, kid, do you know who you're talking to?" Draco hissed at her, partly because he heard the truth in her words, and partly because he didn't want the entire hospital wing to learn his private business.  
  
She nodded meekly at him, and turned away. Her words took effect instantly. Within two minutes, Draco was dressed and stalking towards the Gryffindor common room. If something drastic wasn't done, he'd lose Ginny for good. He paused in front of a portrait of a repulsive looking fat lady, who tutted disapprovingly at him. Muttering quietly, he cast his spell. That moment, he knew, Ginny's dormitory would fill with silver-white roses. All he could do now was wait.  
  
A sudden noise behind him made him turn. The portrait was swinging aside and four figures stepped out, chattering gaily. Granger and Weasley came into view first followed by Potter... and Ginny.  
  
The latter stopped abruptly in front of him, their closely entwined hands clearly visible. Draco stared at them, feeling nauseous. What... how... why?  
  
"What are you doing here Malfoy? Get lost on the way to the dungeons, did we?" Weasley sneered at him.  
  
Frowning, Draco's eyes met those three sets of cold glares flashing at him. Ginny, he noticed, was staring at the floor, blushing to her roots, gripping Potter's hand more tightly than ever. Draco watched as Potter squeezed her hand reassuringly.  
  
"Come on Malfoy, haven't you got better things to do than loiter outside our common room?" Potter said, while small smirks broke onto the others' faces.  
  
Draco didn't reply; he couldn't.  
  
* 


	10. Finally

Chapter 10 What on earth was going on? Draco's mind raced, but it didn't help. He hadn't expected this. How he'd got back to his common room was a mystery to him. He was no longer aware of anything around him- the memory of Ginny... holding Potter's hand so tightly and possessively... was burned into his mind. It wouldn't go away. Why? Why was she doing this to him? Did he not mean anything to her at all? A doubt like this would never normally dare to cross his mind, but then, things were no longer normal. How had this happened? It was barely an hour since they'd fought, and now the world was upside down.  
  
He glared intensely at the burning flames of the Slytherin fireplace. He did not see the curious glances of the other Slytherins in the room or the barely disguised whispering of Pansy and Marcus as they watched him closely. All he saw was Ginny. With Potter. His insides were aching with pain. To lose her was bad enough. But to Potter? That was almost too unfortunate. Nearly ironic. Potter can never have enough, can he, Draco thought bitterly. The damn teachers loved him, that infernal Mudblood and Weasley boy adored him, he was the Quidditch star... and now he'd got the one thing that Draco had held over him: Ginny. His hands clenched in anger as he thought of that ungrateful, undeserving scarhead. He was certainly not worthy of Ginny. He was just a pretentious git who used his so-called fame to get him what he wanted. And along with his dashing smile and charmingly good manners, who could resist him? Draco thought sourly. Well Ginny couldn't, it seemed.  
  
The irritation was making him restless, and he got up from his chair and exited the dungeon, slamming the door loudly behind him. Yet again, he was out in the empty corridors, under threat of being punished if he was found. Where to go now? He knew where he wanted to be; the place where he and Ginny always seemed to meet, and he knew that the only thing that was keeping him from snapping was the thought that she might be there now.  
  
So he pushed open the heavy oak door and gazed down the steps and out onto the Hogwarts grounds. It was deserted. Descending the steps, he saw that each of the gate posts was solitary, and hid no redheaded figure within their shadows. He was completely alone. He sank onto the bottom step and dropped his head into his hands. This was, it seemed, one situation that he couldn't talk his way out of. Ginny was apparently too indifferent to him for him to be able to influence her decision in any way. He sighed dejectedly, leaned back on his elbows and gazed at the starry night sky, that only yesterday he was gazing at with Ginny by his side.  
  
He was so lost in thought that he didn't see the owl until it had collapsed in a heap at his feet. Where had that come from? It looked less like an owl and more in the way of a soggy ball of feathers... he poked it with his foot, and found that it was still alive. His attention turned to a note that was attached to its foot, tied with a deep red ribbon. Hastily Draco untied it, while the bird flapped pathetically, then flew away, apparently on having found some more energy. Neat, swirling crimson text on some rose pink parchment read, 'Draco, we need to talk. I'm so sorry. Meet me on the Quidditch pitch.'  
  
Draco's heart jumped and sank all in one moment, making him feel slightly sick. Ginny's handwriting was distinctive. She was sorry... but what for? Was that just another way of saying, I'm sorry but I'm with Potter now? Or maybe... had she realised she'd made a mistake?  
  
Encouraged by the second thought, he got to his feet and stalked, head held high toward the Quidditch pitch. With a flick of his wand, he blended nicely into the shadows as he walked- a nice little spell he'd learned from his father. He didn't want anyone to catch him now. His heart thumped in his chest. The Quidditch pitch was bathed in moonlight. She stood solitarily in the centre, a long black cloak pulled tightly around herself. It wasn't snowing anymore, but it glittered on the ground as he silently made his way towards her.  
  
A few feet away, still invisible from view he stopped and watched her for a moment. If anyone had told him a month ago that this was going to happen, he'd have laughed in their faces. Still... it had happened.  
  
Shaking off his concealment spell as he stopped in front of her, he caught her eye. She didn't look away. She took a step closer to him, and taking him by surprise, kissed him. Her warmth shot fire through his body as he kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her neck and tangling his hands through her hair. As an icy breeze swirled around them, she pulled away and looked back at him almost as if she was afraid of him. Of what he would say. Maybe she should have been, she deserved to pay for making him feel so rejected. But he couldn't. Not now she was here with him. The air seemed to be crackling with intensity, but he couldn't help grinning at her. A proper, happy smile that he never remembered feeling the need to express to anybody else.  
  
Ginny started to laugh, her relief obvious. "What took you so long?" she teased.  
  
"Your owl. It nearly died on its way over." He leaned in and kissed her again, then frowned. "What..." Draco paused to think of how to phrase the multitude of questions racing through his head in some comprehensible manner. "Potter. Earlier. What were you doing with him?"  
  
Ginny raised an exasperated eyebrow at him. "Nothing! He's my friend."  
  
"I saw you earlier. That wasn't just being a friend," he spat out the word, as thoughts of Potter entered his mind.  
  
Ginny hesitated. "Well... maybe it wasn't entirely friendship. He... well, Ron told me..." she broke off. "But it doesn't matter. Nothing's happening. I didn't know... I was upset... I needed someone who'd understand."  
  
"Yeah, I bet Potter understood perfectly," he muttered.  
  
Ginny ignored this. "But then I went back to my room and saw the flowers, and I felt terrible."  
  
"You felt bad? Is that why you're here now? To stop yourself feeling guilty?" Draco spat, pulling away.  
  
"No! No. Of course not, don't be like that," Ginny reached out and touched his arm. Was she not intimidated by him at all? "I'm here now because...I enjoy being with you. I don't want to lose what we have. I want to be with you," she said softly.  
  
He couldn't help it. As soon as he thought it he knew that he shouldn't have, but his immediate reaction to this was, I have finally beaten that damn Potter. I've won. But as they stood, surrounded by freshly falling snow in the silence of the night, he realised that it wasn't just about beating Potter. He really did love Ginny. And she was here with him saying the same back to him. He felt as if he were about to explode with triumph and happiness.  
  
The two pairs of watching eyes glanced at each other, but remained hidden in the darkness.  
  
* 


	11. Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time

Chapter 11 The sun shone brightly through the window of Draco's dormitory a couple of days later, waking him. He didn't mind. It just added to his airily happy mood. He and Ginny had spent the past few days in each other's company, and had managed it without any argument or tears. Without even a passing comment about Potter or her brother. He was almost oblivious to the existence of anyone other than the two of them.  
  
Not only that, but the Yule Ball was fast approaching. This was no longer a problem in Draco's mind. Everything was arranged. He was going alone, and so was Ginny. They had both agreed that a Slytherin accompanying a Gryffindor would do nothing but arouse suspicion, so they would go alone in the eyes of Hogwarts, but disappear together as soon as was humanly possible.  
  
He and Ginny had been so careful so far not to let anyone see them together. Draco smiled to himself as he thought of their meetings in the deserted classrooms, and escaping their dormitories to spend time together after they were meant to be asleep.  
  
He sighed happily. Everything was going to plan.  
  
*  
  
In a dormitory not too far away from Draco, Pansy lay awake, enjoying the sun on her face. Her mind was buzzing with satisfaction as she also recalled the last couple of days. She and Flint had been convincingly passive regarding Draco and Ginny. She gave Draco no reason to believe she had any further knowledge on the subject, and remained far away from him as often as possible, chatting, it seemed, in a trivial way to Flint. Draco had noticed this, and was pleased, if not relieved. She could tell. Let him think so.  
  
A letter lay under her pillow. One she had anticipated receiving, but still felt a rush when she read it. From Flint, of course. In his own roundabout and fairly incoherent way she supposed it was telling her his 'feelings' toward her. A definite side line from her intended plan, but flattering nonetheless. He wasn't bad looking, close up. And the way he adhered to her every move was certainly gratifying. Their bond had grown over the last two weeks or so, and he was a good friend, if nothing else. There was some attraction there... but... well, she thought, no point in letting him know there was a 'but'.  
  
She rolled onto one side and opened her diary, which lay on her bedside cabinet. A photograph was pasted into the inside cover, of a certain sultry looking silver blonde Slytherin. She sighed deeply as she looked into those grey eyes and ran her finger along the contour of his face. He was beautiful. He was powerful, strong minded and intelligent. Who couldn't love him? He was perfect. Perfect for her. They were meant to be together. Of course they were. And so they would be, not too far from now.  
  
Of all this, Draco was blissfully unaware.  
  
Yes. Everything was going to plan.  
  
*  
  
Settling down in his seat for breakfast that morning, Draco's glance grazed the Gryffindor table and caught her eye. She grinned happily at him, then they both hastily looked away.  
  
Smiling to himself, he looked down at his breakfast, completely missing Pansy's watchful eyes.  
  
Dumbledore raised to his feet, and the Great Hall quietened. He smiled around at them all jovially. "I would like to begin by wishing you all a very merry Christmas Eve, which means, as if you need reminding, that the Yule Ball will be taking place tomorrow. Please arrive promptly as we have some special guests arriving who I believe you may have heard of, and we wouldn't want to keep them waiting." His eyes twinkled merrily behind his glasses.  
  
The Hall broke into speculative babble of who these guests could be.  
  
Draco ignored the excited chatter and neatly printed a short note on a scrap of parchment, which he later discretely placed in Ginny's hand as they all crowded around the doors to exit the Hall.  
  
*  
  
He arrived in the darkened classroom a short while before he'd asked her to join him that night. It was a quiet and secluded, rarely visited little classroom up in the Astronomy Tower. It had a large window that overlooked nothing but the clear night sky. The stars twinkled brightly in their deep velvet blue darkness.  
  
As Draco shut the door softly behind him he stopped by the window, transfixed by the vast array of brilliant tiny specks, sparkling at him from billions of miles away.  
  
He set down an intricately carved wooden box onto the floor, from which he released three dozen fairies, about the height of Draco's index finger, who flitted out into the room, subtly beaming glows of colour into the darkness. With a flick of his wand, tiny flakes of glittering dry snow fell slowly from the ceiling. Another spell conjured a vast array of candles around the room, flickering gently. The room looked soft and romantic; inviting. Festive. Perfect. Finally, he lit a gently crackling fire in the great fireplace and settled onto the mound of fat red cushions he'd laid out around the fireplace.  
  
He leaned back and relaxed, letting the gentle flicker of the fire warm his face. Presently, light footsteps could be heard in the passage, then the door pushed tentatively open as Ginny stepped cautiously into the room. Draco could hardly keep his eyes off her. Her hair was tousled, and lay prettily around her face. Her eyes were shining with the reflection of the flames from the candles. Her face lit up as she took in the room, and she sat down next to him on the cushions.  
  
"This is beautiful..." she breathed, as she settled close to him. "You did this all yourself?"  
  
"Anything for you," he replied, enjoying watching her blush.  
  
They sat peacefully in each other's arms for a moment, enjoying their presence. The grandfather clock standing majestically in the corner chimed midnight. It was Christmas Day.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Draco," Ginny whispered.  
  
"Merry Christmas," he replied, kissing her gently.  
  
"I have something for you," she said, reaching into the bag she'd brought with her. "But... it's not much... you know I can't..."  
  
"It's ok," Draco found himself saying, then marvelled at his strange transformation over the past week or so.  
  
She passed him a small gift, wrapped up in brown paper, tied with a crimson ribbon. He unwrapped it slowly, and revealed a length of thin flat black leather, on which a great glittering silver fang was attached.  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't expected this. "How did you get this? Dragon's teeth are really hard to buy."  
  
"My brother- Charlie- he works with them. He got it for me. It's from a Romanian Longhorn," Ginny replied. "Do you like it?"  
  
"I love it," Draco assured her. Imagine Crabbe and Goyle's faces when they saw this. They'd be sick with jealousy. Romanian Longhorns were incredibly rare, and their teeth and horns very valuable. Contrary to popular belief, he did pay some attention in Care of Magical Creatures; he just didn't like to show it. Draco raised his head as Ginny reached round and tied it around his neck, so the fang hung just below his throat.  
  
Ginny sat back, looking rather relieved it seemed, and Draco reached for his wand. Ginny instantly backed away, like on instinct. Probably due to the misfortune of having the Weasley twins as her brothers. Draco smirked at her, as she grinned sheepishly and moved forwards again. Muttering a few well chosen words, a stream of glittering particles spun out of the tip of his wand and spiralled in mid air. As they watched, a small green velvet covered box appeared in the centre, surrounded in a shimmering mist. Ginny watched in amazement as it lowered into her hands.  
  
"Open it," Draco whispered.  
  
Carefully, she did as she was told, and her eyes widened as she took in what was inside. Draco, of course, already knew. A delicate white gold ring, set with a mossy green stone, flanked either side by a diamond. He knew it looked impressive, set in its shimmering box, encased in a pad of silk.  
  
"Draco, I can't accept this!" Ginny exclaimed. "It must have cost a fortune..." She pushed the box back toward him. He knew better than to take offence, no one could seriously be rejecting a present. Instead, he smiled, and shook his head. "It'd look ridiculous on me, wouldn't it?" he added.  
  
He took the ring from its box and slipped it on her finger. Great choice, he congratulated himself. Expensive, unique and ultimately, incredibly impressive. He could just imagine those twittering Gryffindors tomorrow in the Great Hall asking where she'd got it from and saying how gorgeous it was.  
  
"Looks like I owe you some more presents, don't you think?"  
  
"What exactly did you have in mind?" Draco raised an eyebrow teasingly.  
  
Ginny didn't reply, just leaned in and kissed him.  
  
* 


	12. The Yule Ball

Chapter 12 When Draco awoke the next morning, he felt rather disorientated. For a moment he didn't know where he was, but then he remembered. He was still wearing the clothes he was in yesterday, and Ginny lay curled up and asleep in his arms. He dropped his head back onto the cushions and couldn't help grinning with happiness as he thought about the night before. After they'd exchanged presents, they'd sat up talking the night away until they'd finally dropped off to sleep. It had been perfect.  
  
Now, as the pale wintry sunlight struggled through the gaps in the long curtains, he saw the fairies he'd released giving off but a tiny glow, looking rather exhausted. The candles had burnt down to the bottom and extinguished. The snow he'd conjured was nowhere to be seen; it had stopped falling the moment they'd fallen asleep, and disappeared. Carefully, so as not to wake Ginny, he aimed his wand at the remnants of the previous night and they vanished, leaving just the two of them, lying comfortably and connectedly on the cushions.  
  
Glancing at the grandfather clock however, he realised that they couldn't remain here for much longer. It was seven thirty and although there were no classes today, the teachers and Filch would surely be prowling the corridors as usual, and would not look lightly on two who had blatantly not been in their own dormitories that night.  
  
He looked down at the girl asleep by his side, and incredibly unwillingly, shook her gently awake.  
  
Still almost taken by sleep, they didn't say much as they parted. Just a promise of meeting later that night at the Ball.  
  
As Draco got back to his room, he collapsed onto his bed and stared around at the others. They were all still asleep, and he felt a twitch of annoyance that they obviously hadn't worried about him enough to come looking for him when he hadn't come up to bed last night. But still, he was rather glad they hadn't. He raised his hand to his throat and ran his fingers over the silver fang that hung there, thinking of Ginny. Her eyes, her long hair... her kiss. He smiled, then suddenly realised that he hadn't even remembered that it was Christmas today. Looking to the end of his bed, he saw a considerable heap of presents waiting for him. He couldn't remember ever forgetting presents before. He waited, however, for the others to wake up before opening them, as what was the point in receiving presents if not to boast about them to other people?  
  
As he tore away the wrapping on several items from his parents and various other relatives, he revealed all that had been on his Christmas list, and more. Once the others had expressed their jealousy enough to please him, he showered and changed for the day.  
  
He knew that he couldn't see Ginny again before the Ball, and as always when one is waiting for something, the day dragged by at an annoyingly slow rate.  
  
That evening he changed into his dress robes, made sure he looked as sleek and suave as usual and headed down towards the Great Hall. He lingered in the entrance hall looking around, casually. Had Ginny arrived yet?  
  
Looking around, he noticed that other boys he knew were meeting their dates here, as several nervous-looking males from each of the houses stood here alone, waiting rather uncomfortably. Draco flicked his gaze towards the sweeping staircase ahead of him, and a group of girls appeared, looking gorgeous. Their long dress robes flowed to the floor. Draco suddenly realised that Ginny was among them. He couldn't help but stare at her as she approached.  
  
She was wearing a fitted deep green robe, that looked as if it had been tailored to suit her. Her hair was swept up into a messy bun, with a few loose tendrils framing her face. Her eyelashes were spiky and dark, and rimmed with something sparkly. Her ring was glinting in the light. She caught his eye and smiled that smile that made his knees go weak, then swept past him and into the Great Hall. He followed, at a respectable distance behind her, then their paths parted as they went to sit at their separate tables.  
  
Ginny, he noticed, joined a table where her brother was sitting with Granger, and where Potter was deep in conversation with a stunning looking dark haired girl he knew as the Ravenclaw seeker. He was pleased to see that Potter's attentions wouldn't be on Ginny tonight. Also sitting there were a couple of single boys from Gryffindor, who Draco saw chat to Ginny casually.  
  
He himself sat down at a table where Crabbe and Goyle had saved him a chair. Draco was surprised to see Goyle accompanied by Millicent Bulstrode, and wondered fleetingly how that could have come about, then decided he'd rather not know. He had not been sitting for longer than a minute before they were joined by a couple of unwanted guests.  
  
"Pansy, there are hundreds of tables in this hall. Why don't you go and find one where you'll be welcome?"  
  
"Now Draco, is that any way to speak to a friend? Besides, all the other tables are full... or full of riffraff," she added in an undertone, indicating to a partially full table of Hufflepuffs next to them.  
  
Before Draco could protest further, Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. Draco glared at Pansy as Dumbledore made a short speech, then the feast began.  
  
"So Draco. How's life?" Pansy asked, nonchalantly.  
  
"Life's good, thanks. Of course, it would be better if you weren't close enough to be in firing line of my wand, but that's your lookout isn't it," Draco replied.  
  
"Come on Malfoy, she was only being friendly. Give her a break," Flint said.  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow at him and sighed defeatedly. There was no getting rid of them now, so he might as well make the most of it. Pansy began her ceaseless chatter. She really could hold an audience, Draco realised, when she wasn't acting like a love-sick puppy. She was actually tolerable when she wasn't making suggestive eyes at him and punctuating every sentence with, 'so what do you think, Draco?' It was like nothing had happened, she was acting as she would have done before her manic outburst at Ginny. Maybe she'd really decided to give it a rest and grow up. Draco found himself becoming more and more a part of the conversation, and by the end of the meal, Draco began to feel as though she perhaps wasn't the person he'd always taken her for, despite the nagging urge to curse her to the ground still lingering benignly in the back of his mind.  
  
As they waited for the musicians to arrive and begin the dance, Pansy asked in a low voice, "How are things going with Ginny?"  
  
Draco looked at her, and decided to tell the truth. "Things are good. Going really well, actually. Of course, no one knows about us yet."  
  
"Ahhh, I get you. You're meeting up secretly tonight, eh?" she grinned suggestively at him, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Er, yes actually."  
  
"I know the perfect place for you to go. No one'll ever see you there. It's out on the grounds, in the rose garden. There's a concealed bit near the fountain, near the statue of Aphrodite. You'll find it ok," she smiled at him.  
  
"Thanks Pansy, I'll keep that in mind," Draco replied.  
  
"No problem. Not a problem at all..." she tailed off as he rose to his feet and stalked across the dance floor towards the exit onto the grounds. Across the hall, Pansy saw Ginny watching him, and casually follow him out. Pansy smiled to herself, took Flint's hand and stepped onto the dance floor.  
  
*  
  
The rose garden was lit with fairy lights and it sparkled in the dusky blue haze of the evening. Draco wandered lazily around the winding paths, aware that Ginny was somewhere behind him. He walked for a while towards the centre, where the fountain stood, splashing gently on the stone. There was no one around now, and it was very quiet. From here he could just make out a secluded section behind some particularly tall bushes behind the fountain guarded by a tall statue of the Greek goddess, and he smiled to himself. He disappeared behind the bushes, and a second later Ginny was there with him. The urge to grab her and kiss her was just too strong, so he did, passionately and desperately. She responded with all the sweetness he knew her for, and more.  
  
"I missed you today," she whispered, through light butterfly kisses.  
  
"Of course you did, why wouldn't you," he murmured back, smirking slightly at her less-than-amused expression as she whacked him playfully.  
  
"Didn't you miss me?" she asked.  
  
"Well, y'know, I had Christmas presents to open and all... I was pretty busy today," he lied, then more softly, "Ginny you look gorgeous tonight. The other girls in there, they don't even compare. How could I not have missed you?" He kissed her gently on the nose.  
  
They were surrounded, apart from the small gap they'd squeezed in through, by a square of tall hedges, covered with roses and speckled with fairy lights. A stone bench sat along one edge, and Draco took Ginny's hand and they settled onto the bench.  
  
"Draco- I just want to know, are you ever planning on telling anyone about us? Are you afraid what they'll say? Or is 'this' not serious enough to tell anyone about? Or-"  
  
He squeezed her hand, and stopped her. He knew what she meant, but it would take more explaining than he wanted to give now. Truthfully, he couldn't care less about what anyone would think. What could they do to him, anyway? He could intimidate the lot of them. Perhaps the main reason, which he hadn't even consciously thought of before, was that admitting and publicising his relationship would be the final and most direct rejection of his father's rule over him. But now he thought about it, he realised he didn't care. When it came down to it, he cared more about pleasing Ginny rather than his father.  
  
"Shh. Look, I'm sorry I've put off telling people about us, I hope you haven't taken that as an insult or anything. I was thinking about myself, instead of you," he said.  
  
"Makes a change," Ginny replied smoothly. Draco glared at her for interrupting his speech; she still had a lot to learn about Malfoys.  
  
"Anyway, what I was going to say was, I think we should stop hiding from everyone. It's not the Malfoy way," he added, rather impressively, he thought. "So when we go back up to the Great Hall, we'll go together, ok?"  
  
"You most certainly will not," a deep voice, dripping with venom rang out clearly.  
  
Draco and Ginny jumped. Someone was standing behind the hedges that surrounded them. A dark cloaked figure appeared before them, silver-white hair protruding from the hood that concealed his face.  
  
"Father." 


	13. Pimp Cane Alert

Chapter 13 "Father..."  
  
His father did not reply. He stood before them, like a barrier. "You will not be leaving here until this has been sorted. It is true then Draco, about this disgrace and yourself?" He sneered at Ginny, and wouldn't look her in the face as if it were offensive to him.  
  
Draco felt his face burn with anger. "How dare you-"  
  
"How dare you, Draco," his father interjected thunderously. "I thought you had been brought up better than this. You do not, in any circumstances, disobey me. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable, and I will not tolerate it. You understand me, boy? This must end, and it must end now."  
  
"Why? Because you say so? I don't think so. Not anymore; you can't run my life. It's none of your damn business. You've never cared about me, and I couldn't care less about you. You just tried to mould me into a younger version of yourself. Well it's not going to happen, I'm telling you that." Draco's heart was beating fast, but he mastered himself.  
  
"You're not telling me anything, it is I who tells you what to do, not you I. You forget yourself. This is not a fitting situation for a member of the Malfoys to be found in. Be thankful it was I who found you, and be thankful that it will be I who will end it. We are above this kind of behaviour, and you would do well to remember that. Leave her now, Draco. We are going back up to the school."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere. Not without Ginny. Can't you understand, you're not in charge of me. I don't have to do anything just because you say so. This girl, this one you can't even look at- I love her, father. Something you wouldn't know about," Draco spat.  
  
Lucius paused, looking amused. "Don't stand there and lecture me on love. We don't speak of it. You don't love her. Love is for fools, Malfoys do not love. It is weak, a sign of the heart." For the first time, Lucius looked at Ginny. His cold eyes flickered over her, making her feel bare. She drew her cloak around herself defensively.  
  
"She's a Weasley. They are the scum of the wizarding world, they are Muggles, born by accident into our realm. Look at her father, he can't even get himself a proper job. Look at their position; they have no connections. You're really scraping the barrel boy, is she really the best you can do?" Lucius sneered.  
  
Ginny stepped forward, anger matching Draco's own. She drew herself up, though she was still only level with Lucius' shoulder. He looked down at her with contempt as she spoke.  
  
"How dare you speak about my family like that. Who are you to talk of scum of our world? You are a terrible human being. You live by your own precious Malfoy rules and let the world go by without you- can't you see, your only son hates you! You and your bloody Death Eaters have ruined our world for thousands of people, and you couldn't give a toss about it! How can you stand there and lecture Draco on who to associate with!" she spat at him.  
  
Fast as lightning, Lucius raised a leather-gloved hand and slapped her with such a force she fell backwards. "Never address me again, you filthy little brat. Draco, we are leaving." He reached out and gripped Draco's wrist tightly and pulled his aside before he could reach Ginny's side.  
  
"Don't touch me!" Draco reached for his wand and shot burning red sparks at his father. Lucius let go in surprise, then he smiled.  
  
"See here, boy. I can forget this happened. We needn't speak of it again. Do not think, by any means, that you are forgiven, but we can let it rest until a more suitable time. You will go back up to the castle with Parkinson's daughter, and appear to the school as a Malfoy should. Do you hear what I'm telling you?"  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Pansy. You want me to attend the Ball with Pansy, is that right? Well, listen to this. I would not be caught dead with Pansy. I will never think of her as anything other than an acquaintance, and I shall certainly never be seen with her as anything more. I don't care about her. And I never will. Ever." Draco relished the effect of this on his father, but a soft cry caught all of their attention.  
  
"Who's there? Come out," Lucius spun around and aimed him wand at the hedges, muttering a spell.  
  
They heard a scream, then, "Stop! Stop it, please, it's me! Please stop!" Pansy Parkinson appeared before them, and dropped to her knees sobbing, apparently in a great deal of pain. Lucius removed the spell and helped Pansy to her feet.  
  
"My apologies Miss Parkinson. Though it would serve you well not to eavesdrop in future," Lucius said stiffly.  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes at her; why was his father being so lenient? Why was Pansy there anyway? Thoughts whirled around Draco's mind...  
  
"Why are you here Father? I mean, why today, of all days, should you choose to visit the castle?" Draco asked slowly.  
  
At this, Pansy looked entirely shifty and stared at her feet, as if plotting an immediate escape.  
  
"I was informed by highly reliable sources of your behaviour of late." At this Pansy blushed to her roots. "I thought that perhaps you would see the error of your ways, remember that you're a Malfoy. However, it seems that being graced with such a title is lost on you. It has gone far enough. Tonight it must end. You should be thanking Miss Parkinson from the bottom of your new-found heart that she felt it her duty to tell me."  
  
He should have known. Something about that sickly sweet demeanour; how had he been so taken in? He had been too wrapped up in his own life to notice anything. She was the root of all this. Hate bubbled through him as he turned to look at her.  
  
"Are you happy now? Was this what you wanted? What on earth were you thinking?" he shouted angrily.  
  
She may have been embarrassed, but she raised her head and spoke to him directly. "What were you thinking, more like! I had to do something, Draco! I had to! You, a Malfoy, prancing off with some Gryffindor! What the hell's wrong with you? You're a Slytherin and a Malfoy, you don't belong with her! If you couldn't realise that for yourself, then I had to get someone who would tell you, Lord knows you wouldn't listen to me. I tried, Draco, I tried to help you-"  
  
"I don't need your bloody help! I don't need anyone's help, and I certainly don't need anyone telling me what to do or where I belong. You're right, I am a Malfoy, and Malfoys deserve to be treated with some respect, and you've shown me none. I owe you nothing, Parkinson. You're a pathetic mess."  
  
"That's right Draco, start with the insults. You've thrown enough at me, don't you think I can handle that now? I've offered you everything. A chance to reject what everyone's been saying about you- you know what they've been saying? That you're not one of us anymore. We don't know who you are anymore. But I offered you a chance to show them. I could have given you friendship, love, anything you wanted! And I would have, you know it. She doesn't deserve you," Pansy broke off, glared at Ginny, and took a deep shuddering breath. "She's nobody, Draco. You've been given so much in your life, born into money and power, you could have had anything you wanted. You're throwing it all away! And what for? A poor, freckle faced, dreg of the wizarding society! And she's a bloody Gryffindor!" Pansy bit out, tears of frustration rolling down her cheeks.  
  
"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here!" Ginny exclaimed indignantly. "Get over yourself Pansy-"  
  
Draco cut her off. "I don't need you to look out for me, Pansy. I don't care what anyone else thinks of me, it's their own problem if they don't like it. Since when were you hired as my mother? Or my father really," he added in an undertone. "There's more to life than the Slytherin common room. Not everyone out there has the same outlook on life as us, and granted, a lot of them aren't worth our time but you can't overlook those who are different." At this, he looked at Ginny for the first time since Pansy appeared and squeezed her hand. "I am not going to stay here and listen to you insult someone I care about. If you can't open your mind enough to see that there are people worth our time outside of the Slytherin bubble, then it's your loss. We don't need you." With that Draco grasped more Ginny's hand more tightly and made for the gap between the hedges.  
  
"But Draco-"  
  
"ENOUGH!" roared Lucius, and moved, blocking their exit. "I am not here to listen to petty and childish bickering. Draco, I have had enough. Either you leave the girl of your own free will or I shall do it for you." He pulled out his wand and aimed it at Ginny.  
  
"I will not leave her," Draco said steadily.  
  
Lucius looked at them indifferently. "So be it." With that, he raised his wand.  
  
"Run!" shouted Draco, and he and Ginny pushed past, and out into the rose gardens. The force of the spell thrown at Ginny hit the creeping rose and trellis to her left and it burst into flames.  
  
They were not even half way across the grounds, and far from being out of the range of Lucius Malfoy, only yards behind them... 


	14. Pimp Cane Alert

Chapter 13 "Father..."  
  
His father did not reply. He stood before them, like a barrier. "You will not be leaving here until this has been sorted. It is true then Draco, about this disgrace and yourself?" He sneered at Ginny, and wouldn't look her in the face as if it were offensive to him.  
  
Draco felt his face burn with anger. "How dare you-"  
  
"How dare you, Draco," his father interjected thunderously. "I thought you had been brought up better than this. You do not, in any circumstances, disobey me. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable, and I will not tolerate it. You understand me, boy? This must end, and it must end now."  
  
"Why? Because you say so? I don't think so. Not anymore; you can't run my life. It's none of your damn business. You've never cared about me, and I couldn't care less about you. You just tried to mould me into a younger version of yourself. Well it's not going to happen, I'm telling you that." Draco's heart was beating fast, but he mastered himself.  
  
"You're not telling me anything, it is I who tells you what to do, not you I. You forget yourself. This is not a fitting situation for a member of the Malfoys to be found in. Be thankful it was I who found you, and be thankful that it will be I who will end it. We are above this kind of behaviour, and you would do well to remember that. Leave her now, Draco. We are going back up to the school."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere. Not without Ginny. Can't you understand, you're not in charge of me. I don't have to do anything just because you say so. This girl, this one you can't even look at- I love her, father. Something you wouldn't know about," Draco spat.  
  
Lucius paused, looking amused. "Don't stand there and lecture me on love. We don't speak of it. You don't love her. Love is for fools, Malfoys do not love. It is weak, a sign of the heart." For the first time, Lucius looked at Ginny. His cold eyes flickered over her, making her feel bare. She drew her cloak around herself defensively.  
  
"She's a Weasley. They are the scum of the wizarding world, they are Muggles, born by accident into our realm. Look at her father, he can't even get himself a proper job. Look at their position; they have no connections. You're really scraping the barrel boy, is she really the best you can do?" Lucius sneered.  
  
Ginny stepped forward, anger matching Draco's own. She drew herself up, though she was still only level with Lucius' shoulder. He looked down at her with contempt as she spoke.  
  
"How dare you speak about my family like that. Who are you to talk of scum of our world? You are a terrible human being. You live by your own precious Malfoy rules and let the world go by without you- can't you see, your only son hates you! You and your bloody Death Eaters have ruined our world for thousands of people, and you couldn't give a toss about it! How can you stand there and lecture Draco on who to associate with!" she spat at him.  
  
Fast as lightning, Lucius raised a leather-gloved hand and slapped her with such a force she fell backwards. "Never address me again, you filthy little brat. Draco, we are leaving." He reached out and gripped Draco's wrist tightly and pulled his aside before he could reach Ginny's side.  
  
"Don't touch me!" Draco reached for his wand and shot burning red sparks at his father. Lucius let go in surprise, then he smiled.  
  
"See here, boy. I can forget this happened. We needn't speak of it again. Do not think, by any means, that you are forgiven, but we can let it rest until a more suitable time. You will go back up to the castle with Parkinson's daughter, and appear to the school as a Malfoy should. Do you hear what I'm telling you?"  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Pansy. You want me to attend the Ball with Pansy, is that right? Well, listen to this. I would not be caught dead with Pansy. I will never think of her as anything other than an acquaintance, and I shall certainly never be seen with her as anything more. I don't care about her. And I never will. Ever." Draco relished the effect of this on his father, but a soft cry caught all of their attention.  
  
"Who's there? Come out," Lucius spun around and aimed him wand at the hedges, muttering a spell.  
  
They heard a scream, then, "Stop! Stop it, please, it's me! Please stop!" Pansy Parkinson appeared before them, and dropped to her knees sobbing, apparently in a great deal of pain. Lucius removed the spell and helped Pansy to her feet.  
  
"My apologies Miss Parkinson. Though it would serve you well not to eavesdrop in future," Lucius said stiffly.  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes at her; why was his father being so lenient? Why was Pansy there anyway? Thoughts whirled around Draco's mind...  
  
"Why are you here Father? I mean, why today, of all days, should you choose to visit the castle?" Draco asked slowly.  
  
At this, Pansy looked entirely shifty and stared at her feet, as if plotting an immediate escape.  
  
"I was informed by highly reliable sources of your behaviour of late." At this Pansy blushed to her roots. "I thought that perhaps you would see the error of your ways, remember that you're a Malfoy. However, it seems that being graced with such a title is lost on you. It has gone far enough. Tonight it must end. You should be thanking Miss Parkinson from the bottom of your new-found heart that she felt it her duty to tell me."  
  
He should have known. Something about that sickly sweet demeanour; how had he been so taken in? He had been too wrapped up in his own life to notice anything. She was the root of all this. Hate bubbled through him as he turned to look at her.  
  
"Are you happy now? Was this what you wanted? What on earth were you thinking?" he shouted angrily.  
  
She may have been embarrassed, but she raised her head and spoke to him directly. "What were you thinking, more like! I had to do something, Draco! I had to! You, a Malfoy, prancing off with some Gryffindor! What the hell's wrong with you? You're a Slytherin and a Malfoy, you don't belong with her! If you couldn't realise that for yourself, then I had to get someone who would tell you, Lord knows you wouldn't listen to me. I tried, Draco, I tried to help you-"  
  
"I don't need your bloody help! I don't need anyone's help, and I certainly don't need anyone telling me what to do or where I belong. You're right, I am a Malfoy, and Malfoys deserve to be treated with some respect, and you've shown me none. I owe you nothing, Parkinson. You're a pathetic mess."  
  
"That's right Draco, start with the insults. You've thrown enough at me, don't you think I can handle that now? I've offered you everything. A chance to reject what everyone's been saying about you- you know what they've been saying? That you're not one of us anymore. We don't know who you are anymore. But I offered you a chance to show them. I could have given you friendship, love, anything you wanted! And I would have, you know it. She doesn't deserve you," Pansy broke off, glared at Ginny, and took a deep shuddering breath. "She's nobody, Draco. You've been given so much in your life, born into money and power, you could have had anything you wanted. You're throwing it all away! And what for? A poor, freckle faced, dreg of the wizarding society! And she's a bloody Gryffindor!" Pansy bit out, tears of frustration rolling down her cheeks.  
  
"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here!" Ginny exclaimed indignantly. "Get over yourself Pansy-"  
  
Draco cut her off. "I don't need you to look out for me, Pansy. I don't care what anyone else thinks of me, it's their own problem if they don't like it. Since when were you hired as my mother? Or my father really," he added in an undertone. "There's more to life than the Slytherin common room. Not everyone out there has the same outlook on life as us, and granted, a lot of them aren't worth our time but you can't overlook those who are different." At this, he looked at Ginny for the first time since Pansy appeared and squeezed her hand. "I am not going to stay here and listen to you insult someone I care about. If you can't open your mind enough to see that there are people worth our time outside of the Slytherin bubble, then it's your loss. We don't need you." With that Draco grasped more Ginny's hand more tightly and made for the gap between the hedges.  
  
"But Draco-"  
  
"ENOUGH!" roared Lucius, and moved, blocking their exit. "I am not here to listen to petty and childish bickering. Draco, I have had enough. Either you leave the girl of your own free will or I shall do it for you." He pulled out his wand and aimed it at Ginny.  
  
"I will not leave her," Draco said steadily.  
  
Lucius looked at them indifferently. "So be it." With that, he raised his wand.  
  
"Run!" shouted Draco, and he and Ginny pushed past, and out into the rose gardens. The force of the spell thrown at Ginny hit the creeping rose and trellis to her left and it burst into flames.  
  
They were not even half way across the grounds, and far from being out of the range of Lucius Malfoy, only yards behind them... 


End file.
